Method And Assembly to Prevent A Golf Club Grip From Contacting A Ground Surface

ABSTRACT

A method and assembly to prevent a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface includes a golf club having a shaft having a first end terminating with a grip and a second end terminating with a head. The grip has a free end positioned distal to the head. A body has an outer surface and the body has an aperture extending therethrough. The aperture extends through a central axis of the body and forms a pair of open ends extending through the outer surface. The body has a slit therein extending into the outer surface and into the aperture. The slit extends along an entire length of the aperture. The slit is formed along a plane oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aperture. The shaft is removably positioned in the aperture and the body is positioned nearer to the free end than the head.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to golf club support devices and more particularly pertains to a new golf club support device for preventing a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a golf club including a shaft having a first end terminating with a grip and a second end terminating with a head. The grip has a free end positioned distal to the head. A body has an outer surface and the body has an aperture extending therethrough. The aperture extends through a central axis of the body and forms a pair of open ends extending through the outer surface. The body has a slit therein extending into the outer surface and into the aperture. The slit extends along an entire length of the aperture. The slit is formed along a plane oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aperture. The shaft is removably positioned in the aperture and the body is positioned nearer to the free end than the head.

An embodiment of the disclosure further meets the needs presented above by positioning a body on a golf club wherein the golf club includes a shaft having a first end terminating with a grip and a second end terminating with a head. The grip has a free end positioned distal to the head and the body is positioned nearer to the free end than the head. The golf club is positioned on a ground surface such that the body and the head contact the ground surface and the terminal end is spaced vertically above the ground surface.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a method and assembly to prevent a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new golf club support device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the method and assembly 10 to prevent a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface is shown to allow a person to place their golf club on a wet ground surface while ensuring that the grip does not contact wet grass, thereby making is slippery when used later. This most often happens when a golfer, approaching a green, will carry with them more than one golf club. Usually this will include a wedge and a putter. When one of those clubs is being used, the other must be set on the ground. If the grass is wet, the grip contacting the ground will become wet and slippery.

The assembly 10 generally comprises a conventional golf club 12 which includes a shaft 14 having a first end 16 terminating with a grip 18 and a second end 20 terminating with a head 22. It should be understood that the shaft 14 would generally have one end positioned within the grip 18 and one end positioned within a hosel of the head 22, however for simplicity of description, the above terminology has been used. The grip 18 has a free end 23 positioned distal to the head 22.

A body 24 is provided which has an outer surface 26 and the body 24 has an aperture 28 extending therethrough. The aperture 28 extends through a central axis of the body 24 and forms a pair of open ends 30 extending through the outer surface 26. The body 24 has a slit 32 therein extending into the outer surface 26 and into the aperture 28. The slit 32 extends along an entire length of the aperture 28. More particularly, the slit 32 is formed along a plane oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aperture 28. As can be seen in the Figures, the slit 32 generally bisects one half of the body as it terminates at the aperture 28. The aperture 28 is tubular shaped and more particularly may be cylindrically shaped. The aperture 28 may have a diameter between 0.30 inches and 0.60 inches. The slit 32 will generally have a width equal to or less than a diameter of the aperture and more specifically the width of the slit will likely be less than 0.40 inches and more than 0.10 inches, though the slit may be closed as shown in FIG. 4. The body 24, as shown in the Figures, may have a spherical shape with an overall diameter from between 2.5 inches and 4.0 inches. While the body 24 may be formed of any number of materials, it has been found that the body 24 may most effectively be comprised of a resiliently compressible material such as a foamed elastomer.

A covering 34 may be positioned on covering the outer surface 26 of the body 24. The covering 34 will have a thickness such that the overall diameter of the body 24 and the covering 34 is within the parameters stated above for the body 24 alone. The covering 34 may also cover a surface of the aperture 28 as well as a pair of lateral surfaces 36 formed by the slit 32. The covering 34 is fluid resistant to inhibit absorption of water into the body. Moreover, the covering 34 may be well suited for having graphics positioned thereon such as logos, advertising or marking such that it resembles characters or various types of balls (basketballs, baseballs, soccer balls, etc.).

In use, the shaft 14 is slid through the slit 32 and removably positioned in the aperture 28. The body 24 is slid on the shaft 14 so that the body 24 is positioned nearer to the free end 23 than the head 22. The golf club 12 may then be positioned on a ground surface 38 so that the body 24 and the head 22 abut the ground surface while the free end 23 of the grip 18 is vertically positioned above the ground surface 38. The grip 18, in this manner, will not come in contact with wet grass and thereby dampen the grip 18.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A golf club positioning system to prevent a grip from a golf club contacting a ground surface, said system including: a golf club including a shaft having a first end terminating with a grip and a second end terminating with a head, said grip having a free end positioned distal to said head; a body having an outer surface and said body having an aperture extending therethrough, said body having a spherical shape, said aperture extending through a central axis of said body and forming a pair of open ends extending through said outer surface, said body having a slit therein extending into said outer surface and into said aperture, said slit extending along an entire length of said aperture, said slit being coplanar with a longitudinal axis of said aperture; and said shaft being removably positioned in said aperture, said body being positioned nearer to said free end than said head.
 2. The golf club positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said aperture is tubular shaped.
 3. The golf club positioning system according to claim 2, wherein said aperture has a diameter between 0.30 inches and 0.60 inches.
 4. The golf club positioning system according to claim 3, wherein said slit has a width equal to or less than a diameter of said aperture.
 5. (canceled)
 6. (canceled)
 7. The golf club positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said body is comprised of a resiliently compressible material, said resiliently compressible material being a foamed elastomer.
 8. The golf club positioning system according to claim 7, further including a covering being positioned on said body and covering said outer surface, a surface of said aperture and a pair of lateral surfaces formed by said slit, said covering being fluid resistant to inhibit absorption of water into said body.
 9. The golf club positioning system according to claim 1, further including a covering being positioned on said body and covering said outer surface, a surface of said aperture and a pair of lateral surfaces formed by said slit, said covering being fluid resistant to inhibit absorption of water into said body.
 10. A golf club positioning system to prevent a grip from a golf club contacting a ground surface, said system including: a golf club including a shaft having a first end terminating with a grip and a second end terminating with a head, said grip having a free end positioned distal to said head; a body having an outer surface and said body having an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture extending through a central axis of said body and forming a pair of open ends extending through said outer surface, said body having a slit therein extending into said outer surface and into said aperture, said slit extending along an entire length of said aperture, said slit being coplanar with a longitudinal axis of said aperture, said aperture being tubular shaped, said aperture having a diameter between 0.30 inches and 0.60 inches, said slit having a width equal to or less than a diameter of said aperture, said body having a spherical shape; said body being comprised of a resiliently compressible material, said resiliently compressible material being a foamed elastomer; a covering being positioned on said body and covering said outer surface, a surface of said aperture and a pair of lateral surfaces formed by said slit, said covering being fluid resistant to inhibit absorption of water into said body; and said shaft being removably positioned in said aperture, said body being positioned nearer to said free end than said head.
 11. A method of preventing a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface, said method including the steps of: positioning a spherical body on a golf club having a shaft, said shaft having a first end terminating with a grip and a second end terminating with a head, said grip having a free end positioned distal to said head, said body being positioned nearer to said free end than said head; and placing the golf club on a ground surface such that said body and said head contact the ground surface and said free end is spaced vertically above said ground surface.
 12. A method of preventing a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface as in claim 11, wherein the step of positioning said body on said golf club further includes said body having an outer surface and said body having an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture extending through a central axis of said body and forming a pair of open ends extending through said outer surface, said body having a slit therein extending into said outer surface and into said aperture, said slit extending along an entire length of said aperture, said slit being coplanar with a longitudinal axis of said aperture, said aperture being tubular shaped, said step of positioning said body on said golf club further including said shaft being slid through said slit and into said aperture.
 13. A method of preventing a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface as in claim 12, wherein the step of positioning said body on said golf club further includes said aperture having a diameter between 0.30 inches and 0.60 inches, said slit having a width equal to or less than said diameter of said aperture.
 14. A method of preventing a golf club grip from contacting a ground surface as in claim 13, wherein the step of positioning said body on said golf club further includes said body being comprised of a resiliently compressible material, said resiliently compressible material being a foamed elastomer, a covering being positioned on said body and covering said outer surface, a surface of said aperture and a pair of lateral surfaces formed by said slit, said covering being fluid resistant to inhibit absorption of water into said body. 